Ash-tray attachment

ABSTRACT

An ashtray attachment for safely holding cigarettes made from a T-shaped blank and comprising a normally flat flexible support having on one surface a self-adhesive layer for effecting attachment of the support to the edge of an ashtray, the support having a main portion with a tab projecting from the other surface thereof and defined by a pair of substantially parallel transverse slits centrally located within the main portion, the support also including a head portion at one end thereof comprising a pair of lateral projections that have been folded over and which are slightly spaced therefrom to define a socket on the same side of the support as the tab, and a pair of confronting transverse slits extending partially into the main portion on opposite sides thereof at the juncture of the head and the main portion, and a U-shaped thermo-bimetal spring having a pair of spaced legs, the first of which has a free end portion slideably receivable in the tab of the main portion and an intermediate portion slideably received in the socket on the head portion, and the second of which has a holder to retain a cigarette thereon so that the lighted end is adjacent a web interconnecting the legs for causing a lighted cigarette placed on the holder to heat the web and causing the angle between the legs to increase and thereby tilting the cigarette into the ashtray.

States Patent [191 Feinstat ASH-TRAY ATTACHMENT [75] Inventor: Jacob Menachem Feinstat, Ramat Gan, Israel [73] Assignee: Fine-Gen Investment Corporation,

Benei-Beraq, Israel [22] Filed: Jan. 15, 1973 [21] App]. No.: 323,458

Primary ExaminerJoseph S. Reich Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Browdy & Neimark [111 3,796,224 [451 Mar. 12, 1974 SACT An ashtray attachment for safely holding cigarettes made from a T-shaped blank and comprising a normally flat flexible support having on one surface a selfadhesive layer for effecting attachment of the support to the edge of an ashtray, the support having a main portion with a tab projecting from the other surface thereof and defined by a pair of substantially parallel transverse slits centrally located within the main portion, the support also including a head portion at one end thereof comprising a pair of lateral projections that have been folded over and which are slightly spaced therefrom to define a socket on the same side of the support as the tab, and a pair of confronting transverse slits extending partially into the main portion on opposite sides thereof at the juncture of the head and the main portion, and a U-shaped thermobimetal spring having a pair of spaced legs, the first of which has a free end portion slideably receivable in the tab of the main portion and an intermediate portion slideably received in the socket on the head portion, and the second of which has a holder to retain a cigarette thereon so that the lighted end is adjacent a web interconnecting the legs for causing a lighted cigarette placed on the holder to heat the web and causing the angle between the legs to increase and thereby tilting the cigarette into the ashtray.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures ASH-TRAY ATTACHMENT This invention relates to an ashtray attachment for safely holding cigarettes.

It is common knowledge that many fires are started by lighted cigarettes which, while initially balanced on the edge of an ashtray, burn down to a length at which the balance can no longer be maintained and then tip on to a table or other support holding the ashtray. Smokers habits being what they are, educational campaigns to discourage the balancing of cigarettes on ashtrays have had little effect so that a serious requirement exists for a device that can be attached to existing ashtrays in order to detect incipient dangerous unbalanced conditions and cause the cigarette to be tilted automatically into the ashtray. To be effective, the mechanism must, of course, be attached to an ashtray and therein lies the basic problem with existing devices of the type described. Prior art devices usually have apertured bases to effect their attachment by fasteners to the edge of metal ashtrays. Unfortunately, this expedient is not suitable for other types of ashtrays such as glass or ceramic because there is no simple way to apply a fastener to ashtrays made from such materials. In addition to this problem, the rigidity of the base of known devices of the type described precludes secure attachment to the lip of an ashtray where such lip is curved. For these reasons, devices of the type described have not been widely utilised, and the dangerous condition outlined above remains in existence.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved ashtray attachment of the type described wherein the above referred todisadvantages are substantially reduced or overcome.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an ashtray attachment for safely holding cigarettes comprising a T-shaped normally flat flexible support having on one surface a self-adhesive layer for effecting attachment of the support to the edge of an ashtray, the support having a main portion with a tab projecting from the other surface defined by a pair of centrally located width-wise slits spaced from the head portion which extends at 90 to the main portion and has its ends folded over on the same side as the tab to define a socket, there being width-wise extending slits in opposite edges of the main portion at its junction with the head portion, and a U-shaped thermo-bimetal spring having a pair of spaced legs, the first of which has a free end portion slideably received in the tab of the main portion of the support and an intermediate portion slideably received in the socket on the head portion of the support, and the second of which has a holder to retain a cigarette thereon so that the lighted end is adjacent the web inter-connecting the legs for causing a lighted cigarette placed on the holder to heat the web causing the angle between the legs to increase and thereby tilt the cigarette into the ashtray.

The flexibility of the support permits it to easily conform to the contour of the lip of an ashtray, whether such lip be curved or flat; and the provision of the selfadhesive layer on the bottom surface of the support eliminates the need for a fastener to attach the support to an ashtray. The provision of the width-wise extending slits in the opposite edges of the main portion of the support at its junction with the end portion permits the support to be attached to a curved surface without interfering with the operation of the socket which holds the thermo-bimetal spring. Furthermore, the provision of the tab in cooperation with the free end of the spring, which is relatively rigid as compared to the support, permits the spring to contribute to the rigidity of the mounting and prevents buckling of the support. In order to reduce the heat flow from the lighted end of the cigarette into the support, the Web of the bimetal spring may have a portion of reduced cross-section.

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show it can be carried out in practice, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of the invention including an ashtray shown partially in section and a lighted cigarette;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the support partially formed and illustrating its development; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line Ill-III of FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 designates an ashtray attachment according to the present invention mounted on ashtray 11. Holder 10 comprises a spring 12 of thermo-bimetal detachably connected to a flexible metal support 13 and carrying a holder 14 by which a cigarette may be retained.

Ashtray 11 may be of any type and the drawing shows a typical ceramic one having a plurality of cylindrical depressions 15 around the outer lip 16 of the ashtray. Support 13 is fashioned from a flat sheet of flexible metal having a good deal of resiliency. As shown in FIG. 2 support 13 is formed from a flat T-shaped blank. It has a main portion 17 with a head portion 18 at one end extending 90 to the main portion. The opposite free ends 19 of the head portion are folded over on the top surface of the support but are spaced therefrom to define a socket 20; and a pair of width-wise extending slits 21 are provided at opposite edges of the main portion of the support at its junction with the head portion. Preferably, the free ends 19 do not meet after they are folded over and the socket is formed so that the ends 19 are slightly closer to the top surface of the support than the 180 bend in the head portion. This construction assists in retaining the spring 12 in place as will be described below.

The main portion of support 13 is also provided with a pair of centrally located width-wise slits spaced from the head portion permitting tab 22 to be pushed upwardly out of the plane of the top as shown in FIGS. 1

and 3. Attached adhesively to the bottom surface of the support is a relatively thick layer 23 of resilient material, i.e. foamed polystyrene. The bottom surface of layer 23 is provided with a layer of pressure-sensitive material which is protected by a peel-off layer 24 of paper or similar material permitting the support and spring to be packaged separately and shipped to a user without interfering with the adhesive quality of the layer 23.

The spring 12 is formed of so-called thermo-bimetal material which is essentially a bonded laminate of metal whose layers have different coefficients of expansion such that substantial curvature results when heat is applied to the metal. For a U-shaped spring built in at one end (cantilever mounting) it can be shown that the deflection of the free end of the spring is functionally related to the length of the spring, its thickness and the change in temperature. Spring 12 has a pair of spacedlegs 25 and 26 interconnected by a web 27. The

bottom leg 25 has a free end of reduced width to slideably fit beneath tab 22, the shoulder 28 on this end forming a stop to' limit insertion into the tab. Semicylindrical holder 14 is secured to top leg 26 preferably by spot-welding, although rivetting or cementing are acceptable alternative constructions. Finally, the web 27 of the spring is of reduced cross-section at its midpoint 29 to provide a heat-barrier as will be described below.

In using the invention, the layer of paper 24 may be peeled off exposing the pressure-sensitive surface of layer 23 which is placed in contact with the lip of an ashtray. By reason of the flexibility of the metal from which the support is fashioned, and the resiliency of the layer 23, the support easily conforms to the lip whatever its shape. As shown in FIG. I the lip may be in the form of a semi-cylindrical depression; and a user can easily conform the main portion of the support into the curvature using finger pressure that causes the support to adhere firmly to the ashtray. The provision of the slits 21 permit the socket to remain level even when the main portion is curved to fit into a depression in the lip of an ashtray. In applying the support to the lip of an ashtray, it is essential that the tab 22 overly the lip when the socket 20 is positioned Within the depression in the lip. This procedure will ensure that the cooperation between the tab and the reduced end of leg 25 of the spring will operate to hold the spring securely to the support and hence to the lip of the ashtray.

It should also be noted that the flexibility of the support permits it to be utilized on an ashtray whose lip is rounded in the sense that the main portion 17 of the support may be curved about an axis that is perpendicular to the length of the main portion. In this case also, it is essential that tab 22 be located over the top-most position point of the curved lip.

Having attached the support to the lip of the ashtray, a user then completes the assembly by merely inserting the reduced end of leg 25 into the socket 20 until the reduced end is beneath the tab 22 until the shoulder 28 engages the tab. The spacing between the free ends 19 of the head portion permit the socket 20 to be slightly smaller in width than the width of the leg 25 to ensure a resilient gripping of the leg in its final position. The spacing between the free ends 19 and the top surface of the support is also normally less than the thickness of the material of the spring so that upon insertion into the socket, the spring spreads the free ends 19 and this also assists in resiliently holding the spring to the support.

Having assembled the spring to the support, the operation of the invention is illustrated in FIG. I wherein a cigarette 30 is shown resting within holder 14. Normally, a smoker on leaving the cigarette would balance it so that equal lengths of the cigarette extend on each side of the holder 14. The original length of the cigarette is as illustrated by the phantom lines in FIG. 1. As the cigarette burns down towards the spring 12, the burning end eventually reaches the web of the spring thereby heating the metal and causing the spring to deform. The deformation caused by the heating is manifested by an increase in the angle between the legs 25 and 26. But since movement the leg 25 is precluded deflection of leg 26 takes place by pivoting substantially about the web 27 thus tilting the cigarette into the ashtray. When the cigarette slides into the ashtray, and heat is removed from the region of the web 27, the metal of the spring cools and the spring returns to its original shape as shown in FIG. 1.

I claim:

ll. An ashtray attachment for safely holding cigarettes comprising a normally flat flexible elongated support having on one surface a self-adhesive layer for effecting attachment of the support to the edge of the ashtray, the support having a main portion having a tab projecting from the other surface thereof and defined by a pair of substantially parallel transverse slits centrally located within said main portion, the support also having a head portion at one end thereof comprising a pair of lateral projections folded over said one end and spaced slightly therefrom to define a socket, means providing a pair of confronting slits extending partially into said support on opposite sides thereof at'the juncture of said main and head portions, and a U-shaped thermobimetal spring having a pair of spaced legs and a web portion interconnecting the same, the first leg having a free end portion slideably receivable in the tab and an intermediate portion slideably received in the socket, and the second leg having a holder to retain a cigarette thereon so that the lighted end is adjacent the web for causing a lighted cigarette placed on the holder to heat the web and causing the angle between the legs to increase and thereby tilting the cigarette into the ashtray.

2. An ashtray attachment according to claim 1 wherein the web has a portion of relatively reduced cross-section for reducing heat flow to the first leg of the spring.

3. An ashtray attachment according to claim 1 wherein said first leg includes shoulder means slightly spaced from the free end portion thereof and in engagement with a side edge of said tab, the shoulder means providing a stop for limiting insertion of said free end portion into said tab.

4. An ashtray attachment according to claim 2 wherein the ends of the main portion of the support forming the socket are spaced from each other. 

1. An ashtray attachment for safely holding cigarettes comprising a normally flat flexible elongated support having on one surface a self-adhesive layer for effecting attachment of the support to the edge of the ashtray, the support having a main portion having a tab projecting from the other surface thereof and defined by a pair of substantially parallel transverse slits centrally located within said main portion, the support also having a head portion at one end thereof comprising a pair of lateral projections folded over said one end and spaced slightly therefrom to define a socket, means providing a pair of confronting slits extending partially into said support on opposite sides thereof at the juncture of said main and head portions, and a U-shaped thermo-bimetal spring having a pair of spaced legs and a web portion interconnecting the same, the first leg having a free end portion slideably receivable in the tab and an intermediate portion slideably received in the socket, and the second leg having a holder to retain a cigarette thereon so that the lighted end is adjacent the web for causing a lighted cigarette placed on the holder to heat the web and causing the angle between the legs to increase and thereby tilting the cigarette into the ashtray.
 2. An ashtray attachment according to claim 1 wherein the web has a portion of relatively reduced cross-section for reducing heat flow to the first leg of the spring.
 3. An ashtray attachment according to claim 1 wherein said first leg includes shoulder means slightly spaced from the free end portion thereof and in engagement with a side edge of said tab, the shoulder means providing a stop for limiting insertion of said free end portion into said tab.
 4. An ashtray attachment according to claim 2 wherein the ends of the main portion of the support forming the socket are spaced from each other. 